A Clan Cat
by ScifigeekET
Summary: Four kits were found in a river. Two are fine with their new life in ThunderClan. One fits in perfectly. But one is unable to belong, until she can truly figure out who she is...
1. Rouge

**A/N: Ok, I know how annoying it is when an author skips time every few paragraphs. So, I can promise you that this will only happen in the first chapter, because I just wanted to introduce the characters. Sorry about the time jumps, there won't be any in following chapters! **

Startled meows sounded across the clearing.

_Who ARE they?_

_Where did they come from?_

_Why is RiverClan bringing KITS to the gathering?_

_They smell funny._

The questions and statements of the cats blurred into each other, so much so that it became difficult to tell who was talking.

"Let me see!" Icepaw was saying, trying desperately to see above the warriors.

When that didn't work, she pushed her way through the crowds. It was one of the advantages of being young. You were small enough to fit through gaps larger cats could never hope to get through.

Leopardstar stood perfectly still, waiting for silence.

When it was finally achieved, Firestar, Blackstar, and Onestar looked to Leopardstar to begin.

She sighed and spoke.

"A few days ago, one of our warriors pulled something out of the river." Her voice rang out in the silence. "It was something the Twolegs use, though what its purpose is, we can not imagine. However, we managed to open it." She nodded towards the four strange kits, clearly an order to come forward. They obeyed.

"These kits were inside."

Startled mews filled the area.

"But… that means…"

"They're _kittypets_!"

The explanation created an excitement that refused to be contained.

Icepaw dug her claws into the dirt. Did these cats have to be so rude? The four kits were hearing every word. It wasn't as though being kittypets made them _deaf. _

When the noise finally died down, Leopardstar continued. "We decided to bring them here, where their future can be…decided."

One of the larger kits, a small she-cat with black fur and white feet, let out a hiss. Her brilliant amber eyes narrowed, glaring at the cats, challenging them to say something she didn't like.

"Seeing as they are here…" Firestar began. "I take it RiverClan does not want them?"

Leopardstar bristled. "They are causing…" She trailed off, looking for the right word. "Arguments… in the Clan. They aren't exactly used to Clan ways."

The black kit unsheathed her claws. Another, a smaller she-cat with brown and black stripes and bright green eyes, gently pressed her nose to the black kit's shoulder, as though asking her to calm down. The black kit's fur flattened slightly, but she continued to glare.

"And you expect one of the other Clans to take them?" Onestar demanded. "Four more mouths to feed, right before leaf-bare?"

"You wish to give us your problems?" Blackstar joined in.

The black kit was done with that. Anger lit her eyes like a flame. "Problems?" She hissed. "PROBLEMS? I'll show you problems, mouse-brain!"

Her littermates held her back, but the words sent startled gasps and mummers through all the cats, Icepaw included. It wasn't just what she said, it was her VOICE. Her dark meow that sounded different from any cat the clans had ever heard. It was incredibly different, as though these kits had come from a place farther than the mountains themselves. Farther than the old forest. Perhaps across the world itself.

Leopardstar winced. Clearly, she had been hoping the other Clans wouldn't hear their voices.

The black kit glared at the cats. "So! You too hate us for our voices? Well, FINE! We never asked for your help!"

Despite the voice, some of the cats began to chuckle. This young kit was talking like a warrior, but she was barely large enough to be out of the nursery. She couldn't even be an apprentice!

Firestar suppressed a purr, though his amusement tainted his words. "We had no wish to offend you, young one."

Her amber eyes narrowed. "Do you hate me for my voice?" She asked. "Well?"

Despite the anger in her eyes, there was also a hidden desperation. Something that only Firestar could see.

He let out a long, deep sigh. "If no other Clan will accept them, ThunderClan will take the kits."

He waited for a leader to object, but none did. There was a deep silence across the Clans, as they all waited for someone to speak.

Finally, Leopardstar's voice rang out. "Very well." She nodded at the kits, who slowly went over to the ThunderClan leader. The black kit glared at Leopardstar one final time before walking over to him.

* * *

When Firestar had finished explaining to the ThunderClan cats what had happened, he called the kits towards him.

"Do you have names?" he asked.

"Jade." The striped brown and black she-cat answered.

"Shadow." The black kit replied, a snarl tainting her words. When Firestar looked closer, he could see brown and grey spots in her fur.

"Ash." The grey and black tom told him.

The last, a tom with broad shoulders, black, brown and grey fur, and deep amber eyes, looked at Firestar before replying, "Thunder."

Firestar looked at them. Their names seemed… wrong somehow. Except for one…

"Well, from now on, you will be known as Jadekit." He told the she-cat with the green eyes.

She nodded respectfully.

"And you," he looked at the tom that called himself Ash. "You will be Stormkit."

Stormkit nodded.

He looked at Thunder. "And you will be Bushkit."

Bushkit blinked once, accepting the name.

He looked for a long time at the black she-cat. He hadn't seen it before, but there was a long cut on her face, one that could very well become a scar. It traveled from her ear, in a diagonal line down to the bottom of her muzzle, where it twisted quickly. Firestar knew exactly what it looked like, and named the kit accordingly. "And you are Lightningkit."

* * *

The four kits grew quickly, and before long, they were apprentices, near warriors.

Stormpaw padded up to his littermates. "Hi." He meowed quietly.

Bushpaw and Jadepaw nodded their greeting. Lightningpaw was looking across at all the other cats.

Stormpaw looked around and cleared his throat. "Lightningpaw, will you stop doing that? It's scaring me. I keep thinking some ShadowClan warrior is sneaking up on me or something."

Lightningpaw's amber eyes narrowed. "Sorry, Stormpaw. I just…" She looked down. "I can't help it. These cats never accepted us."

Bushpaw snorted. "You're not still on that, are you? Seriously, it's been moons since we came here!"

"Do you think that helps?" She snarled. "Look at what the other Clan leaders say about Firestar! No on forgets kittypet roots. No one."

Jadepaw rolled her eyes. "You worry too much." Her voice had blended better with the other cats, so much so that she almost sounded ThunderClan. In Lightningpaw's eyes, that helped her get along with the others.

"Lightningpaw!"

The black she-cat rolled her eyes, and her littermates purred. "Someone's in trouble." Bushpaw mused.

She glared at him before walking, head held high, towards Firestar. Fury blazed in the ThunderClan leader's eyes.

"Where were you last night?"

"Out." She replied simply.

"ACROSS THE BORDER?" He demanded.

She shrugged. "I didn't cross into other Clans territories, if that's what you're worried about. I just… went exploring on the other end of the boundaries." She sighed. "Don't tell me. I'm breaking the warrior code."

For that, Firestar had no real answer. She hadn't crossed into other territories, but she had crossed a boundary.

"You're confined to the camp until after the next Gathering."

He expected the typical, 'That's not fair!' or 'Why?' or even, 'What did I DO?'

But Lightningpaw just stared at him with bright amber eyes. "Fine." She replied.

She padded back to her littermates, leaving behind a very confused Firestar.

He went back to his den, where Sandstorm was waiting. He sighed and sat down.

She looked at him. "What's wrong?"

He looked back at her. "I don't know what to do about that one."

"Lightningpaw?"

"Who else?"

"She'll make a great warrior eventually. You just have to give her time."

"Time?" His eyes locked on hers. "What time can I give her? She'll be made a warrior in another few moons!"

Unknown to him, Lightningpaw was talking with her littermates about exactly the same thing. "When I'm made a warrior, I'm gone."

Jadepaw's eyes widened. "But you can't! You'd be breaking the warrior code!"

Lightningpaw glared at her sister. "And what else is there? I'm only staying because I don't like the name 'paw."

Stormpaw purred. "Then leave and change it." He shrugged. "No one is stopping you."

Lightningpaw blinked her gratitude. Stormpaw wasn't the kind of cat to be extremely excited about nothing.

Bushpaw sighed. "We'll miss you, Shadow." He whispered.

Jadepaw blinked. "I can't believe this! Lightningpaw, you can't be serious!"

"I'm deadly serious! If things haven't changed when I'm a warrior, I'm gone! Forever!"

* * *

"From this day on you shall be known as Jadeheart."

Moons had passed since Lightningpaw's promise. She'd never spoken of it since, but Jadepaw, now Jade_heart_, never stopped worrying.

"Jadeheart! Jadeheart!" The cats cried out their congratulations.

Pride warmed Jadeheart's pelt. She nodded her thanks to Firestar.

He nodded in return, then turned to Stormpaw. "Stormpaw, from this day forward, you shall be known as Stormcloud."

"Stormcloud! Stormcloud!"

Jadeheart wanted to congratulate her brother. She wanted to feel happy. But there was a dark doubt in her mind that refused to let go. She glanced at Lightningpaw, who was staring at the ThunderClan leader with an unreadable expression.

Firestar padded up to Bushpaw. "Bushpaw, from this day forward, you shall be known as Bushface."

Whatever he said next was lost in Jadeheart's thoughts, like much of what happened had been.

"Bushface! Bushface!"

She swallowed nervously. Would Lightningpaw reject everything they'd worked so hard to achieve?

Firestar looked at Lightningpaw for a long time, and an uneasy silence filled the Clan. Finally, he spoke.

"Lightningpaw, you are not to be made a warrior."

* * *

Lightningpaw's pelt burned with shame and hatred. "Why not?" She demanded.

Firestar said nothing.

"WHY NOT?" she snarled. "I've kept to the warrior code, I've done my apprentice duties, and I've done everything you've asked. So, I'll say it again, WHY NOT?"

He looked at her and sighed. "Because you plan on leaving."

Startled gasps filled the Clan.

Lightningpaw instantly whirled on Jadeheart. "YOU!"

Jadeheart flinched.

"You traitorous mouse-brained idiot! WHY DID YOU TELL HIM?" She unsheathed her claws. "HOW COULD YOU?"

"It… it's true?" Brightheart, her mentor, asked. Pain filled her voice.

"NO!" Lightningpaw hissed. "That's the point!"

She looked at the Clan cats, fury in her eyes. "I planned on it once. I changed my mind long ago! I didn't want to leave the Clan!"

Firestar looked at her calmly while she whirled to face him.

"How could you DO this?" She asked. Betrayal filled her eyes.

For a moment, Firestar saw the kit he had once accepted into the Clan. Her eyes looked the same as they had then, furious, but desperate. "If you were planning on breaking the warrior code…"

"But I WASN'T!" She snarled. "And you just decided to tell the world about something that's in the PAST? Something I GAVE UP?" She looked at him for a long time. A tense silence filled the area.

"Then FINE!" She spat. "You have proven something to me, FIRESTAR." She hissed the name out with pure malice and hatred. "You have proven that Clan cats can not look away from the past. If you couldn't see through THAT, then NO ONE could be able to see through where I come from!" She glared at the ThunderClan cats.

"MY OWN VOICE BETRAYS ME!" She hissed. "And if you want me gone…"

Her amber eyes locked on her littermates, then turned away. "THEN I'M GONE."

And she ran. No cat dared to follow her, not even Firestar.

Lightningpaw was in a different class now. Not a kittypet. Not a Clan cat.

She was a rouge.


	2. Family

Weaselfur of WindClan stiffened. "ThunderClan." He hissed.

Owlwhisker padded up next to him. "Are you sure?"

"Yes. I can smell them."

"So can I." Crowfeather added, tasting the air carefully. "Only one."

Breezepaw snarled. "Then let's finish this."

The cats followed the trail until they saw her. Breezepaw didn't wait for orders. He pounced on the black she-cat, who snarled in defiance and whirled around under him, claws unsheathed. Breezepaw leapt back, surprised at the dark fury in this cat's eyes.

The rest of the patrol raced forward, and had the cat surrounded in seconds.

She looked around at them. "You want to die today, Clan cats?" She hissed. "Then try and stop me."

Crowfeather recognized the strange voice. "Lightningpaw!" he exclaimed.

She snarled at him. "That's my name." She replied, hate in her eyes.

"What are you doing on our territory?" Owlwhisker demanded.

"LEAVING!" She spat.

"That's not going to happen." Breezepaw spat.

Crowfeather nodded. "We're taking you to see Onestar."

Lightningpaw glared at him. "Do you always have to see your leader to make decisions?" She spat. "Oh, Onestar." She mocked. "Should I eat a mouse or a sparrow? Oh, Onestar, should I go outside the camp or stay in all day? Oh, Onestar, should I hope for rain or hope for the sun?"

"ThunderClan is no better!" Breezepaw snarled.

"But I AM NOT THUNDERCLAN!" Lightningpaw hissed. Dark hate and fury blazed in her amber eyes. "I AM A ROUGE!"

* * *

"Onestar." Crowfeather dipped his head in respect. The ThunderClan apprentice held her head high.

Onestar blinked. "Leave us."

Crowfeather obeyed, and Onestar was alone with Lightningpaw.

"They tell me you believe yourself to be a rouge." Onestar said calmly.

"Because I am." She shot back.

He sighed. "But we know that isn't true. You are a ThunderClan apprentice, are you not?"

She snorted. "I am a warrior by rights, but ThunderClan denied me that." Her eyes locked on his. "You would run too."

Onestar's mew took on a startled tone. "You rejected the Clan that took you in? The only one that WOULD?"

Her claws dug into the ground. "I reject them because I am not one of them. I never have been. I never will be."

Onestar looked at her for a long time. Finally, he spoke again. "I will have a patrol take you back to the ThunderClan border." His tone was decisive, and by all rights should have ended the conversation.

But Lightningpaw wasn't in the mood. "No. I will not go back to the place that rejects me. Take me to the end of your border. Fine. But I will NOT go back there. If I have to fight every cat in your Clan."

Onestar chuckled darkly, his amused purr filled with an unnamable emotion. "You would die if you took on a whole Clan."

"But I would take some with me." She replied. There was no emotion in her eyes to convey that she was lying. She would truly do what she said.

For a long time, there was silence. Then, Onestar spoke again. "Very well, rouge. We shall take you to the edge of our borders. You will leave and never return, or we will regard you as our enemy."

She nodded, blinking her gratitude. "I don't plan on coming back."

He nodded back.

Lightningpaw walked to the entrance, stopped, then turned back. "And Onestar?"

He looked at her.

"If you have to mention this…" her amber eyes locked on him. "Use my real name. It's Lightningscar."

* * *

Jadeheart stretched as the sun rose in the sky, signaling a new day. "Finally!" She moaned, shaking dew from her pelt.

Stormcloud purred, coming over to her. "Tired?"

"You could say that."

Bushface's eyes were focused on something else, something far away, as though he could see something they couldn't. "I wonder where Lightningpaw is." He said quietly.

Jadeheart's heart sunk. "How should I know?" She tried to act defensively, but her mew fell flat as she remembered again that Lightningpaw wouldn't have left if it wasn't for her.

Stormcloud pressed his nose to her cheek. "It wasn't your fault." He said soothingly.

Jadeheart looked at him for a long time, then walked into the camp. "Maybe it isn't."

Bushface and Stormcloud exchanged a long, meaningful look before following her.

* * *

"Here." Crowfeather said. "This is as far as we go."

Lightningscar nodded. "Thank you, Crowfeather."

He looked at her for a long time. "You don't have to leave." He finally whispered.

She looked into his eyes. "But I do."

As the other cats began to pad back to the camp, Crowfeather turned to Lightningscar one final time. "Before you go…" He paused. "Can you tell me… how Leafpool is doing?"

She looked at him. "She's fine." She replied, confused. "Absolutely fine."

He swallowed and nodded, then turned and followed his Clanmates.

Lightningscar shivered, then padded off.

"Right!" She whispered to herself. "Where to next?"

* * *

Bright eyes stared out at the black she-cat.

"Are you sure?" Someone asked.

"Of course!" Another hissed. "That's a Clan cat! I'd recognize that scent anywhere!"

Darkshadow sighed. "Very well. We attack on my command."

The Other liked his lips and pulled them over his teeth. "This cat will DIE." He hissed.

He turned back to where he'd seen the cat only heartbeats before. The area was empty. His eyes widened. "Where did she…?"

"Hi." A voice sounded behind him. The Other felt sharp claws dig into his back, a heavy weight crushing him to the ground. The she-cat's teeth were at his throat in a split-second.

Darkshadow whirled to face the Clan Cat, but she dug her claws deeper into The Other's back. "Not one more pawstep!" She hissed. "Or he dies!"

Darkshadow looked at The Other, who let out a small whimper. He nodded slowly.

"Good." The black she-cat nodded approvingly. "Now. Why, exactly, do you want to kill me?"

Darkshadow said nothing.

"Right." She dug her claws ever deeper into The Other's pelt, until he could no longer take it, letting out a sharp gasp.

"Because you're a Clan cat." Darkshadow replied, snarling, as though he didn't want to say it, but knew he must.

She nodded slowly. "And what's wrong with Clan cats?"

Darkshadow looked at The Other. "They think they own the forest. They are WRONG." He hissed.

She looked at him for a long time. "Agreed." She leapt carefully off The Other, who scrambled to his feet.

Darkshadow's eyes widened. "Agreed?"

She nodded. "I am no Clan cat."

"Don't lie." The Other hissed. "You have their stench all over you."

"But I've given up Clan life." She replied. "They didn't exactly accept everything about me."

The Other snarled, unable to believe her, but Darkshadow nodded slowly. "It would explain the voice." He told his friend.

The Other's eyes widened. "You can not seriously believe…"

Darkshadow didn't give him time do finish. "What's your name, rouge?"

She purred. "You're learning. My name is Lightningscar. And yours?"

"Darkshadow." He replied.

The Other glared at her until Darkshadow prodded him with a sharp paw. "I'm The Other." He spat, clearly unwilling to share even that information."

Amusement filled Lightningscar's strange voice. "Well, Other, you need to work on your battle moves."

The Other snarled, but didn't challenge her. Truthfully, he didn't dare.

* * *

Firestar, Onestar, Leopardstar, and Blackstar all waited until silence filled the area.

Onestar spoke first. "WindClan has only one thing to report. A ThunderClan apprentice on our territory."

Shocked hisses and gasps filled the area. Firestar's eyes widened.

Onestar spoke over the cats. "We only report this to let the Clan know that she is safe."

The protests ended immediately, curiosity prickling through the air.

Jadeheart swallowed, a lump in her throat.

"She told us she has gone rouge." Onestar continued. "Lightningscar is no longer a Clan cat, and if she crosses our territory again, we shall treat her as an enemy."

Many of the cats nodded and murmured in approval.

Firestar dipped his head respectively to the WindClan leader. "Thank you, Onestar. We did not know what had happened to her."

Something was bothering Jadeheart. Suddenly, she realized. "LightningSCAR?" She asked, the word escaping her quickly, before she really realized that she was speaking. Her pelt burned with embarrassment.

Firestar, however, took this as a valid question. "It is true." He told Onestar. "Lightningpaw left us. She hadn't received her warrior name."

The surrounding cats broke into confused whispers and mummers.

Onestar nodded slowly. "She gave herself the name. She insisted we use it."

Outraged mews filled the clearing.

"She's not a warrior!"

"She can't just CHOOSE a name!"

"She's breaking the warrior code!"

"THIS is what happens when ThunderClan accepts kittypets!"

Jadeheart dug her claws into the soft dirt, desperate to speak. Firestar looked directly at her, and nodded, as though he'd read her mind. "One of our new warriors, Jadeheart, was Lightningscar's sister. If you'd kindly listen to what she has to say, I believe it could help us to understand her reasoning…" He gestured for Jadeheart to speak.

Jadeheart swallowed as all four Clans silenced, listening to what she wanted to say.

She took a deep breath, and began. "Lightningpaw was… uncomfortable with Clan life. She'd always believed that people hated her for her kittypet roots." She looked around at some of those who had accused her sister of this in the past. "I'm not sure she was wrong. But then again, I'm not sure if she was right."

She swallowed, and began again. "She wanted to leave the Clan. I told Firestar of this fact."

Firestar seemed mildly surprised that she'd decided to tell the whole story, but he allowed her to continue.

"In return," Jadeheart went on. "Firestar told Lightningpaw that she was never to be a warrior."

Shocked gasps filled the clearing.

"But Lightningpaw had decided to stay. It was an unnecessary fear. She was furious with us, and left immediately." She closed her eyes. "Lightningpaw wanted nothing more than to be made a warrior. She hoped that it would help her belong with her Clan." She opened her eyes. "I believe that she chose a warrior name for herself, not because she wants to belong with ThunderClan, but with her new Clan." At this, she looked at the other cats. "The loneliest Clan of all. A Clan of rouges." She looked at the ground. "I believe Lightningpaw is gone. And in her place is this rouge. Lightningscar."

* * *

Darkshadow took Lightningscar to his camp, much to the displeasure of The Other.

As they burst through some brambles protecting it, a clearing opened up to them.

"Oh." Lightningscar whispered.

Darkshadow purred. "This is OUR version of a Clan camp. To beat an enemy, one must think like an enemy. Be like that enemy, without truly becoming them."

"I can see where that can get confusing." She said, looking at the other cats in the clearing, who were staring at her, more surprised than confused."

"Darkshadow!" A dark mew roared. "You bring a Clan cat HERE?"

Darkshadow flinched as he turned to the cat who had spoken. "She is a rouge now, sir."

Lightningscar turned to face the cat Darkshadow was speaking to. He was a large, black tom, with very faint brown and grey spots. Bright green eyes shone as they looked at her. His shoulders were broad, and the muscles under his pelt showed clearly through his fur.

He looked at her. "A rouge?" He demanded, disbelief in his voice. His strange, yet familiar voice. Lightningscar didn't speak. She couldn't. This large cat took the words from her.

"Yes, sir." Darkshadow replied.

The dark tom padded up right next to Lightningscar, his nose not a mouse-tail length away. His hot breath blew into her face as he spoke. "Well, rouge. I am Darkblood. Once a warrior of ShadowClan. And if you are truly a rouge, than you will not mind telling me your name."

Lightningscar purposely disguised her voice as she spoke, making it sound as much like a ThunderClan cat's as possible. "Lightningscar." She replied.

He snarled. "You were from ThunderClan, were you not?"

She nodded, not trusting herself to speak, not daring to reveal her strange voice.

"Then why have you come here?" He demanded.

"Why did you?" She shot back. She refused to be intimidated.

Darkblood nodded approvingly. "I left ShadowClan when I was an apprentice, giving myself a warrior name when I felt I was ready."

Lightningscar nodded. "As did I." She knew that even ShadowClan probably wouldn't choose a name like Darkblood for any of its warriors. "They did not accept me."

His watchful green eyes stared deep into hers. "Why?" He demanded.

"Kittypet roots." She replied simply. She didn't want him to hear her voice, so she kept her answers quick and simple.

He nodded again. "Of course…"

She looked at him for a long time.

"Do you wish to join us, Lightningscar?" He demanded.

She nodded once more. "I believe so."

"Why?"

She looked at him. There was no longer any doubt in her mind. His eyes were exactly like Jadeheart's. His broad shoulders belonged on Bushface. His watchful gaze, and the way he spoke, were both Stormcloud's. His pelt was hers. And his voice was the same as all four of them.

"Because I believe you are my father." She replied, her amber eyes bright. "Sir."


	3. A New Clan

Darkblood looked at her, his eyes round with shock. A few of the listening cats gasped.

Darkblood was silent for a long time, unable to speak. Lightningscar had used her real voice, not bothering to suppress it in the slightest, like she always had in ThunderClan. It sounded like a different language entirely.

It sounded exactly like his.

Darkblood swallowed and nodded slowly. "I believe we need to talk." He told her. He turned and motioned with a flick of his tail for her to follow. She obeyed.

His den was a large place, almost like a cave in its rock formation. It was dark, very little light bleeding through in the small gap that was the entrance.

Darkblood turned to her, and silence filled the area. His watchful green eyes looked at her for a long time. Finally, he spoke. "My Shadow." He whispered. He gently touched his cheek to hers. "I thought you were dead."

"So you recognize me?"

He stepped back and nodded. "Yes. You are Shadow, one of my four kits." A bright hope entered his face. "What of the others? Are they alive? Did they survive as well?"

She nodded. "All are warriors of ThunderClan." She added with distaste.

"ThunderClan!" Darkblood spat the words with hate. "My kits, warriors of that… infestation!" He hissed, then looked at her. "And the only one brave and smart enough to escape. Shadow. My personal Shadow." He sighed. "You have your mother's eyes."

"My mother? Is she here?" Hope flashed through Lightningscar, only to disappear as Darkblood shook his head.

"She's dead, Shadow."

She swallowed. "What happened?"

"A broken heart, I'd say." Lightningscar smiled softly. He sounded exactly like Stormcloud. "She was taken in by Twolegs," he continued. "Though she constantly tried to break free. It wasn't by her will that she was taken. She gave birth to you, Ash, Thunder, and Jade there. The Twolegs wanted you dead; they hadn't realized your mother was pregnant." He sighed. "They threw you into a river. I followed them, and tried with everything I was to save you." He looked down. "But I wasn't strong enough."

She kindly pressed her muzzle to his cheek as he continued. "Your mother found a way to escape, but she was never the same. And, one day, we found her body on the Thunderpath, killed by one of the monsters." He sighed. "Often have I wondered if she walked directly in their path."

The thought sent Lightningscar's fur on end. "Don't say that, please."

He looked at her, then brightened. "You're right. There is no use living in the past. You are here. You are alive." He looked at her. "Though I believe you'll be wanting your old name…?"

She shook her head. "No."

"No?" His mew was startled, confused.

She sighed. "I chose Lightningscar because it's who I am. A warrior, but not one of theirs."

Darkblood nodded. "Of course. It is your name, and will be from this day on." He stood. "But now, we must tell the others. This is your Clan now, Lightningscar. And it shall welcome you."

He stood, and gestured for him to follow him. She did, padding softly behind him.

Darkblood stood on top of his den, where the surface was perfectly flat. He let out a blood-curdling yowl. No words tainted it, just a loud noise that sent all the cats walking over below the rock.

He purred. "I'm proud to announce a new member, who is finally ready to join us!" He motioned for Lightningscar to come next to him, and she obeyed. "My daughter, once thought dead, now back with a new name!"

Yowls of congratulations sounded in the clearing. Paws stamped against the floor, threatening to send the earth shaking. It was wonderful, in a strange way.

"Everyone, this is LIGHTNINGSCAR!" He cried. Lightningscar felt pride flash in her pelt, and felt as though the stars themselves were listening to him speak, watching with trembling hearts. _Let them TREMBLE. _She thought mutinously.

Yowls sounded again, the stamping of paws increasing.

Darkblood looked proudly at his daughter, and motioned for her to stand forward.

"LIGHTNINGSCAR! LIGHTNINGSCAR!" Their cries were louder than those in ThunderClan ever would have been. Ever COULD have been. This was real pride, real joy, real excitement. Nothing was fake; there was no grumbling about kittypet roots or her strange voice.

"LIGHTNINGSCAR!" The word sent her blood rushing to her ears, the roar of battle in each time they called it. "LIGHTNINGSCAR!"

Darkblood came next to her. "They want you to speak." He kindly instructed her.

The realization startled her, but she waited until their mews had died down before she began.

"I was once from ThunderClan."

Hisses filled the clearing, and claws were unsheathed, digging into the ground.

"No longer!" She spat, real hatred in her heart. "I reject them, as they REJECTED ME!"

Loud yowls of agreement sounded out.

"I am a warrior! But I am NOT one of theirs!"

More yowls.

"And if we attacked ThunderClan?" Darkblood's voice startled her. "What would you do, Daughter?"

She looked at him for a long time, before replying to everyone. "I would ask that you leave Firestar to me. Because I plan to take every single one of his lives." She replied. A dark, unnamable storm of fury raged in her eyes.

Loud yowls, screeches and cheers sounded out. "LIGHTNINGSCAR! LIGHTNINGSCAR! LIGHTNINGSCAR! LIGHTNINGSCAR! LIGHTNINGSCAR! LIGHTNINGSCAR!"

Lightningscar stood in front of them, her pelt ruffling in the breeze. A dark hatred surged through her paws. Her claws unsheathed, digging into the earth as though it was Firestar's throat.

"Look out, ThunderClan." She hissed. "We're coming for YOU."

* * *

Bushface stared out into the trees. "I know you're there, Firestar."

Firestar came away from the ferns below the trees, an amused purr rumbling in his throat. "I never could sneak up on you. Or your kin."

Bushface shrugged. "It's what we do."

Firestar sighed. "Bushface… did I do the right thing? I mean, you of all people would know what was best for your sister."

Bushface's deep amber eyes gazed deep into Firestar's. "What do you want me to say? The truth? Or what you want to hear?"

"The truth."

Bushface nodded slowly. "I believe you did the wrong thing in presuming that Lightningscar was going to leave, simply because she'd thought about it."

Firestar looked down. "I know that. But would it have made a difference if I hadn't?"

"You'd have another warrior now, instead of a ThunderClan rouge." He sighed. "But in the end, there was nothing that you could have done. Lightningscar was never happy in the Clan. She needed to go. And she would have eventually."

Firstar sighed, then suddenly said, "You think I'm weak, for asking a warrior of things I do not know."

A dark, purr rumbled in Bushface's throat. "I think you should not do it in front of the other Clans." He sighed. "But I do not believe that needing help makes a cat weak. It's not ADMITTING they need help that makes someone weak." He looked at the Clan leader. "Why?"

He sighed. "Because I feel weak. All I did for her, and she ends up hating me."

* * *

"Mountain Peak!" Darkblood called. A young she-cat bounced up to the rock. "You will show Lightningscar the camp."

Joy and excitement brightened the young cat's eyes. "Yes, sir!"

She motioned with her tail for Lightningscar to follow. She obeyed.

"This is the nursery." Mountain Peak said. She had grey fur, with a white-tipped tail and black legs. "There aren't that many kits there now, but there will be soon."

She walked to two small cave-like structures, made of rock and brambles. "That's the apprentice den, in Clan words."

"You have apprentices?"

"Sort of. When they believe they are ready, they ask Darkblood if they can change their name. They get to choose, and he announces it to the Clan." She purred. "I changed mine a moon ago."

She kept moving. "We don't have an elder's den." She said, her mew tinged with sadness. "We had a dog attack last leaf-bare, and we lost them."

Pity flashed in Lightningscar's eyes. "I'm so sorry."

Mountain Peak shrugged. "It's ok. It was a long time ago." But Lightningscar could tell that Mountain Peak was anything but over the death of the elders.

"And we don't really have a medicine cat." Mountain Peak continued. "We have a few cats who know about herbs, but that's about it."

"That must be strange." Lightningscar mused.

"Well, it would be strange for me, someone who's lived like that my whole life, to suddenly change to Clan ways."

Lightningscar's whiskers twitched. "Good point."

Mountain Peak looked at her. "You look just like Darkblood." She purred. "Imagine! I wish I was his daughter! You must be one of the best warriors EVER!"

Lightningscar chuckled. "I'm not so sure about that."

"Then why don't we test it?" Darkshadow said, suddenly coming out of the brambles. "I don't see why we shouldn't. We need to see what you can do."

Lightningscar licked her lips. "Do I sense a challenge from you, warrior?"

"That you do." Darkshadow mused.

"Do it the proper way, you two!" A voice called out. "We don't want a repeat of last time, do we?"

Darkshadow chuckled. "Yes, Iceflame." He called to the she-cat.

"What happened last time?" Lightningscar inquired.

"We destroyed half the nursery." Darkshadow replied, a purr in his throat. "We had to rebuild the whole thing."

"And what's the 'proper way'?"

Darkshadow's eyes danced. "In the clearing. With every cat watching."

Lightningscar could feel the battle raging in her paws already, her muscles ready for the fight. "Sounds simple enough."

They padded over to the clearing. Cats from all over came to watch, wondering aloud who would win. Many said it would be Darkshadow. Very few did not. Apparently, Darkshadow was a strong warrior.

_Not strong enough._ Lightningscar felt her lips curl back over her teeth. "Ready?" She asked.

"Are you?"

"Absolutely."

"Good." Darkshadow launched at her.

Lightningscar dodged, swiping a paw at his front legs as she passed. He fell forward, losing support of one leg. She pounced on his back before he had a chance to react.

Then she found out what the 'proper way' really meant.

Another cat leapt on Lightningscar's back. Apparently, they helped whoever was losing. Lightningscar wasn't ready, and the cat, a white tom, rolled her over onto her side, kicking at her with his back legs, claws sheathed.

Lightningscar dodged.

She didn't see any more after that. She fought to keep her claws sheathed as she dodged, weaved, and lashed out at the many cats, who all began fighting against her, one at a time. The battle roared in her ears, the fight pulsing through her. She was born for battle, born to fight.

Born for this life.

"Enough!" Darkblood's voice called out.

Lightningscar burned with shame. Everything in her wanted his approval, and she had a feeling that he was angry at her, as his tone suggested it. She looked at her claws, realizing she'd unsheathed them, and there was blood and fur caught in them.

But there was nothing but pride in her father's eyes. "I'm impressed." He said. "You just fought every cat here. And you barely have a scratch."

Lightningscar was taken off guard. EVERY cat? But… that was impossible.

"I believe the battle is yours to command." He said.

"No." She whispered. "I'm just a good fighter. Not THAT good."

He purred. "You are your mother's child. And mine." He unsheathed his claws. "I would like to see if you have the same success with me."

She looked at her father in shock. "But… sir, I couldn't…"

"Do it!" Darkshadow hissed. "Darkblood doesn't often give his warriors that opportunity!"

Lightningscar swallowed, a lump in her throat. "Y-Yes sir."

Darkblood began to circle her, his claws still unsheathed. She took that as a hint and unsheathed hers as well.

And then he launched himself at her, a blood-curdling yowl sounding in his throat.

She dodged expertly, lashing out at her father, purposely missing. She did not want to hurt the only family she had…

The thought sent her heart aching as she ducked away from his blows. Was he her only family? What about Jadeheart? Or Stormcloud? Or Bushface? Were they no longer family, but now her enemies?

She didn't think about it, allowing the rage of the battle to blind her to all else. She was a furious storm of claws and teeth and blows. This was war, and her father had brought it to himself.

Finally, her father was in front of her, panting. "Very good. Very good." He sat down, exhausted. She couldn't sit. The blood was still rushing in her ears, energy coursing through her.

She suddenly realized how silent the clearing was. Shock was written in the faces of every cat.

"LIGHTNINGSCAR!" One finally cheered. "LIGHTNINGSCAR!"

Many others took up the cry. "LIGHTNINGSCAR! LIGHTNINGSCAR!"

Her father nodded in respect, pride flashing through his pelt. "Very good, my Shadow."


	4. I Must Be Dreaming

Jadeheart snarled as she missed the vole. "Mouse dung!"

Bushface purred. "Jadeheart, I think you have more than enough prey for the fresh-kill pile. I'm sure no cat would say you haven't done your duties."

It was true. She'd caught three mice and a squirrel that morning alone.

"Maybe you should rest…" Stormcloud warned his sister.

"I'm FINE!" She spat.

Stormcloud backed away. He'd never seen her this upset…

She sighed. "I'm sorry, Stormcloud. But I just… I just can't go back yet." She took off towards the trees to find more prey.

Bushface sighed, his deep amber eyes filled with sorrow. "What do you think?"

"About Jadeheart? Or Lightningscar?"

"Both."

He sighed. "I don't know about Lightningscar…"

"Do you think she's ok?"

"I know it." Stormcloud's mew was strong, as though he was completely sure of what he was saying.

Bushface sighed. "I don't."

Stormcloud looked at his brother for a long time, before letting out a deep sigh. "You've been having the dreams, too, haven't you?"

Bushface closed his eyes. "Rivers of blood. Cats screeching. Warriors in battle. And Lightningscar the strongest warrior of all. Our kin's bodies at her feet, their blood on her paws…" He shivered and opened his eyes with a soft nod. "Oh, I've been having the dreams."

"Do you think she is too?"

Bushface looked at his brother. "I know it."

* * *

"_Lightningscar! Lightningscar!"_

_Her new Clan, cheering for her, calling her name, making the forest Clans tremble with fear. _

_"LET THEM TREMBLE!" She shrieks._

_The battle flowing around them. Nothing but the battle. Nothing is important but the rivers of blood, the claws and the teeth and the blows and the fury and the rage._

_Firestar, dead beneath her paws. His lives leaving him, one by one. _

_ThunderClan is DEAD! The thought fills her with triumph. _

_Until she sees the three cats beneath her. _

_Jadeheart. Bushface. Stormcloud. Their blood on her claws, their bodies soaked in blood._

_"NO!" She cries. "NO!"_

_Darkblood comes before her. "This is the end of your past life. ThunderClan is no more." His green eyes, Jadeheart's eyes, meet hers. "You are truly free."_

_Free? This is freedom? This battle raging in her paws, her kin's blood flowing beneath her? THIS IS FREEDOM? _

_Her father purrs. "This is freedom."_

* * *

"NO!"

Lightningscar snapped awake. She was gasping, fear the only emotion she could feel.

Iceflame, who turned out to be a ginger she-cat with bright blue eyes, looked at her, concern plain in her face. "Are you all right?"

Lightningscar nodded, her throat dry. "I'm fine. I just… need some fresh air."

Iceflame nodded and Lightningscar padded out of the den. Her father was awake, staring out at the forest, standing guard. He caught her scent and purred without even looking at her. "Hello, Shadow."

"Hello, father." She sat down next to him.

There was silence for a long time.

Finally, Lightningscar spoke up. "Darkblood? If… if we attack ThunderClan…"

"WHEN we attack ThunderClan…" Darkblood corrected.

"When we attack ThunderClan… what will happen to Jadeheart? And Stormcloud? And…" She didn't want to say it. "Bushface?" Her voice cracked. Bushface and her had always been best friends. As close as brother and sister could be.

Darkblood sighed. "You must understand. There are victims of every war."

"But do I have to kill them?" The question was out before she could stop it.

"No." Her father replied. "No, you need to do nothing of the sort."

She swallowed. "But if they try and stop me…"

He looked at her, and her words died under his gaze. "Shadow… My Shadow… There is nothing I want more than for your littermates to come here, to come home. But as long as they remain in ThunderClan, they are our enemies. Please… understand."

She nodded, though her mouth was dry. "Yes, Father."

* * *

"Jadeheart!" Leafpool's mew was stern.

Jadeheart winced. "Coming." She replied.

Jayfeather looked at her with sightless eyes as she entered the den.

"How mad is she?" Jadeheart whispered, knowing the medicine cat would hear.

Jayfeather purred. "Incredibly."

Jadeheart winced as Leafpool came in front of her. "Jadeheart, Firestar tells me you've been doing patrols from dawn until sun-down. You haven't been sleeping. You're going to get sick if you keep this up."

"Nothing to worry about yet…" Jayfeather told Leafpool. "She seems fine…"

"Fine?" Leafpool replied. "I'm not so sure." She sighed and sat down, curling her tail around her paws. "Jadeheart, I know what's happening with you and what happened to your sister. But you don't need to deprive yourself of sleep just because of what happened."

She snorted. _You don't have my dreams. _She bit back the sharp reply. "I'm fine, Leafpool."

"Yes. You WILL be fine, once you have some rest." She flicked her tail. "No exceptions. Go to your den, NOW."

"But…!"

"NOW!"

Jadeheart cringed, then nodded, padding softly off to her den. She lay down with a heavy sigh. Her dreams tormented her, throughout the night. Always. There was nothing she could do about them.

She closed her eyes. Despite how badly she wanted to stay awake, she was exhausted. Her breathing began to slow, and the darkness took her away from the forest, away from the problems of the Clan, and into the deepest, darkest parts of her own mind…

* * *

Jadeheart opened her eyes. Blood pooled around her paws. She cried out in disgust and jumped back. "No!" She hissed.

Firestar's body lay on the ground, his throat pouring blood onto the ground. "NO!"

Every instinct in her was desperate to protect her Clan's leader. But there was nothing she could do as his last life slipped away from her, dancing towards the stars.

"NO!" Pain flashed through her. Her leader was dead.

"WHOEVER DID THIS SHALL PAY!" She shrieked. "PAY WITH THEIR LIVES!"

"Is that so, sister?"

Jadeheart whirled around. The rage of battle was already roaring in her ears, her claws were unsheathed, ready to tear the throat out of the cat that had done this. But her fury died as she was met with bright, amber eyes.

Lightningscar purred, an unnamable, furious darkness tainting her words. "Would you really murder me?" She demanded. "Would you really kill your own kin?"

Jadeheart took a few steps back. "NO! Lightningscar, how could you? How COULD YOU?"

"How could I?" She snarled. "HOW COULD _YOU!_"

Shock entered Jadeheart's already round eyes.

"You are a TRAITOR!" Lightningscar hissed. "Not even fit to be a warrior!"

"NO! No, Lightningscar, that's a lie!"

"IS IT?" Lightningscar roared. Her voice was no longer tainted with the sounds of ThunderClan, it was different. Like another language. A language of darkness. "Is it a lie, Jadeheart? You are responsible for all of this!" She gestured to Firestar's body.

"NO!" Jadeheart snarled. She unsheathed her claws, and prepared to launch at her sister.

But Lightningscar just let out a blood-curdling shriek, and suddenly, she was surrounded by dark shapes. The shapes of cats.

"This is MY Clan." Lightningscar hissed as she disappeared into the shadows. "The Clan that shall be your end…"

* * *

"Jadeheart!"

Bushface's voice snapped her out of the dream. She realized that her breathing was heavy, that she had been running away, fighting invisible enemies in her sleep.

He looked at her with understanding eyes. "I've been having those dreams, too." He whispered.

She sighed. "I don't know what to do." She sat up. "I've always known. But this time…" She sighed again. "I don't know. I don't think I'll ever know."

"Perhaps not." Bushface admitted.

They said nothing more, sitting in silence, not daring to think about their sister, the one who had betrayed their Clan, the one who could very well end up killing them…


	5. Traitor

Bluestar hadn't changed.

Firestar breathed a sigh of relief as he saw her. Perhaps StarClan could help him with the problems of his Clan. Maybe even with Lightningscar.

But as her gaze landed on him, he found he could no longer move. His legs felt rooted to the ground, as though the grass had sprouted up and weaved itself around his paws.

And then she spoke, her words whisper-soft and ice cold.

"_Traitor's word, and traitor's breath._

_Traitor's eyes and traitor's death._

_Sorrow kept, never known._

_Hidden deep and never shown."_

* * *

Despite her dreams, Lightningscar was having more fun than she'd ever had in her entire life.

In her new 'Clan' never stopped battle training. Regular mini-wars raged in the clearing, and there was never a time when there wasn't a fight going on. And anyone could join, which was particularly good if you were in a bad mood, which Lightningscar was in often.

But the battles didn't make the members into enemies. Instead, they brought them closer together.

And many of the cats were different, so her voice no longer stood out. They accepted her completely.

"Lightningscar!" Darkshadow called from across the clearing. "Hunting patrol! You coming?"

Lightningscar purred. "Sure!"

Hunting patrols were different here, too. Whenever a cat wanted to hunt, they hunted. They chose when, and there was always a large fresh-kill pile in the clearing, though far away from the battles.

Darkshadow purred as she came up next to him. His tail entwined briefly with hers as they padded along.

"So. How do you like _our _Clan?" He asked.

"Let's just say it's better than ThunderClan." Lightningscar replied.

He purred. "So it would seem."

They walked in silence, then slowly padded away from each other as Darkshadow started stalking a mouse.

That was when she heard it. A soft sound, like a whisper in the trees.

She followed it, though she was unsure why. Slowly, carefully, she followed the sound to a large Twoleg nest.

It was a Twoleg. The sound was coming from a Twoleg.

It was only then that Lightningscar realized that the noise was someone talking. The Twoleg's mews were soft, and they flowed strangely.

And she could understand them.

How? How could she understand what this Twoleg was saying? She didn't understand…

The Twoleg came up to her and crouched next to her. Lightningscar knew she should run, but her paws wouldn't move.

"_Traitor's word, and traitor's breath._

_Traitor's eyes, and traitor's death._

_Sorrow kept, never known. _

_Hidden deep, and never shown."_

Lightningscar listened to the Twoleg's words carefully, but as soon as they were finished, her paws suddenly responded to her again, and she ran.

She ran as fast as she could, and was a good distance away before she dared to look back.

When she did, the Twoleg and the nest were gone.

* * *

Darkshadow purred as Lightningscar came next to him, but her amber eyes were wide.

"What's wrong?" he asked, genuinely concerned.

"I…I don't…" She swallowed. "I…I need a minute."

His eyes softened. "It's ok." He gently smoothed her ruffled fur with his tail.

"It's not." She breathed. "Darkshadow… what do you know about Twolegs?"

He sighed, everything suddenly clear. "They've always acted strangely in these parts, Lightningscar." He looked at her. "What did they say to you?"

She looked at him. "Promise not to tell my father?"

"Why?"

"I don't know. I just… don't want him to know."

He nodded. "Go ahead."

She took a deep breath and recited the Twoleg's words. A long, deep silence followed them. Finally, Darkshadow sighed and spoke. "That's… a little scary."

"Yeah…"

He looked at her, concerned, before brushing up against her. "It'll be ok."

"I know. I just…" She sighed. "I _don't _know."

He purred quietly. "I understand."

* * *

Jadeheart's claws dug into the ground as she thought once more of her sister. The more she thought about it, the angrier she got.

Her eyes caught Jayfeather padding out of his den, his blind eyes wide and his neck fur bristling. At another end of the clearing, Firestar padded out of _his_ den. They met each other in the center, and it became obvious that they'd been meaning to talk to each other.

Firestar followed Jayfeather back to the medicine cats' den. Jadeheart sat there for a minute before following them, keeping out of sight.

"Exactly the same dream?" Jayfeather was questioning.

"Possibly. What did she say to you?"

Jayfeather took a deep breath and recited,

"_Traitor's word and Traitors breath. _

_Traitor's eyes and traitor's death. _

_Sorrow kept, never known. _

_Hidden deep and never shown."_

Firestar sighed. "Yes. It was the same dream."

Jayfeather swallowed. "Firestar, if we're both having the same dream…"

"StarClan must really need us to know this."

Jadeheart looked inside, just barely, so that she could see them without them seeing her.

Jayfeather swallowed. "I don't get it. Who is the traitor?"

"Must it really be asked?" Pain flashed in the Clan leader's eyes.

"Lightningscar is one possibility, Firestar. But she is not the only one."

"Her siblings?"

Jayfeather nodded. "I'm afraid that might be the case."

"They haven't done anything to suggest…"

"True. But it is still possible."

Firestar thought for a moment, then nodded. "Possible, yes. But let's not assume anything yet."

Jayfeather nodded, and Firestar padded towards the entrance.

Jadeheart ran.

* * *

"_Sorrow kept, never known,_

_Hidden deep, and never shown."_

Bushface and Stormcloud looked at their sister in shock.

"Jadeheart, how can you be sure it's about Lightningscar?" Stormcloud asked.

"Because we've all had that dream, Stormcloud." Bushface replied for his sister. "We don't need to deny it any longer."

Stormcloud looked at Bushface for a long time, then sighed. "What are we going to do?"

"I don't know." Jadeheart replied.

"I do." Bushface replied. "We're going to find Lightningscar."

Jadeheart's eyes grew round. "Are you insane?" She hissed. "We'd have to sneak over the WindClan border! What if they caught us?"

"It's a chance I have to take." Bushface replied. "If you don't want to, that's fine. But I have to go."

Stormcloud nodded. "I'm coming, too."

"Count me out." Jadeheart hissed. "You _are _insane. Both of you!" And she took off, running as far away as she could.

Bushface sighed. "She's not ready."

"Apparently."

"Tonight?"

"Tonight."

And they left, padding off to their dens to get some sleep.

* * *

Darkshadow's brilliant amber eyes darted about, his gaze shifting to the two toms. They were both Clan cats. His lip curled into a snarl, ready to burst from his throat as he pounced.

Suddenly, one of them stiffened. "There's another cat out there!" He breathed.

What was it with all these Clan cats noticing him there? What was _wrong _with them?

The other one padded up to the bush where Darkshadow was hiding. "Hello?"

Darkshadow knew he was caught. And, without the element of surprise, he'd never be able to beat these cats. With a heavy sigh, he revealed himself.

The other cats took a step back. "Who are you?" One demanded.

"I should ask you the same question." He spat back.

"We…we're looking for our sister."

"Bushface?" A new voice entered the conversation. Darkshadow turned and sighed in relief as he saw Lightningscar.

"You know them?" Darkshadow demanded.

Lightningscar nodded, her eyes dark. "Bushface and Stormcloud of ThunderClan." She replied, pointing with her nose to each when she said their names. "My brothers."

"It's good to see you again, Lightningpaw." Bushface purred.

"Lightning_scar_." His sister hissed.

Bushface's eyes locked on hers. "I said your old name for a reason."

"What are you doing here?" She spat back, ignoring her brother's reply.

"We came to see you." Stormcloud replied. "We need to talk to you." He looked at Darkshadow pointedly. "In private."

Lightningscar's eyes narrowed. "Whatever you can say to me, you can say to him."

Darkshadow's heart filled with pride. It just showed she trusted him, really.

Bushface sighed. "Does he believe in StarClan?"

Lightningscar was going to reply, but Darkshadow got there first. "Yes."

Lightningscar looked at him.

He shrugged. "I don't think it's beyond the realm of possibility."

She purred and pressed against him. "Thank you." She whispered.

He nodded.

Bushface looked at the two of them, before finally speaking. "Firestar and Jayfeather had the same dream. And… and so did we."

"What dream?"

"Bluestar came over to us." Stormcloud answered.

"And she told us…" Bushface trailed off.

Stormcloud sighed and continued for his brother.

"_Traitor's word, and traitor's breath._

_Traitor's eyes and traitor's death._

_Sorrow kept, never known._

_Hidden deep and never shown."_

Lightningscar exchanged a long and meaningful glance with Darkshadow.

"Bluestar said that?" Lightningscar asked.

"Who's Bluestar?" Darkshadow turned to her.

"The ThunderClan leader before… Firestar." She said the current ThunderClan leader's name with a distasteful hiss.

Darkshadow smoothed her ruffled fur with his tail.

She sighed. "Thank you Bushface, Stormcloud." She turned away from them. "But I think it's best if you leave now."

Bushface's eyes filled with pain. "Will you join us?"

Lightningscar closed her eyes. "No. Never again."

Bushface sighed, nodded, and gestured for Stormcloud to follow him as he headed back into Clan territory.

Darkshadow touched Lightningscar's cheek with his muzzle. "You ok?"

"No."

He sighed. "Lightningscar… I wish there was some way I could tell you how much it means to me that you're staying."

She purred softly, her tail wrapping around his. "I think I already know."


	6. Warning

The battle raged in Lightningscar's ears. She felt Darkshadow's paws slash at her nose. She retaliated, ducking under his legs and knocking him off balance.

The other cats of their new Clan watched in fascination. She was a blur on the battlefield.

She and Darkshadow stopped at exactly the same time. They'd gotten to know each other very well over these past days, and seemed to know exactly what the other wanted.

At that point, Darkblood came down from his den. He was purring loudly. "Very good, Lightningscar."

She purred as well. "Thank you."

His brilliant amber eyes landed on hers for a moment. "I was wondering if I could speak with you. Privately." He added as Darkshadow padded up next to her.

Lightningscar shuffled around on her paws. "If it's all the same to you, I'd prefer it if Darkshadow was with me."

His eyes grew slightly more round, but he understood the implications of the statement fully. Amusement filled his features as he nodded. "Very well."

Lightningscar's pelt brushed against Darkshadow's as they walked. Her father's face hadn't been able to hide his happiness that Lightningscar had found someone she cared about so completely in her new clan.

They went together into Darkblood's den. He turned to face them.

"Lightningscar…" he sighed. "You know the Clan territory much better than we do. You know how these Clan cats think, how they act." He swallowed. "I'm going to have us split up into two separate forces. I shall lead one. I want you to lead the other."

Her eyes widened. "I… I don't know what to say…"

"Just accept the job." Her father suggested. "You will, of course, have help…" he looked pointedly at Darkshadow.

Darkshadow purred. "We won't let you down, sir."

Lightningscar thought about this for a moment. "But… what do you want me to do, exactly?"

"Select your warriors." Darkblood replied coolly. "They will become your team, your Clan, your _family. _You will learn every part of their lives like your own. You will know how they think, how they move. They're strengths, their weaknesses. And you will lead them into battle. Match them against warriors that have weaknesses where they have strengths. Improve on their strengths, take away their weaknesses. Make them _warriors._"

A sparkle had entered Lightningscar's eyes. She nodded. "Which warriors?"

Her father purred. "That's for you to decide. Which ever ones you believe you can work with. I shall command the others."

Darkshadow's tail entwined briefly with hers. "We can do this." He breathed into her ear.

She nodded. "Thank you, Darkblood."

The leader nodded, and they walked out.

"Iceflame." Darkshadow suggested immediately as they came out. "And The Other."

Lightningscar nodded. "Mountain Peak." She added.

"Greenblaze." He said. "She's not too strong, but she's fast."

"And Dawn."

"Night of Shadows."

"Starlit Darkness."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive. She almost crushed me the other day."

Darkshadow nodded thoughtfully. "River. He gets along well with most."

"Bronze." Lightningscar added.

"Is there anyone else?"

"I think that's it."

"Hmm… What about Scarred?"

Darkshadow's eyes filled with fear. "We should probably leave him to your father…"

"What?" She teased. "Too scared?"

His fur bristled. "Aren't you?"

She shrugged. "Nah. Come on, let's tell them."

They gathered up all ten of the other cats and brought them together. "We're going to attack, and soon." She told them after she'd explained. "So we're going to become the perfect army."

A few yowls of agreement answered her.

She purred. "Let's do this."

* * *

They woke up early the next day. Lightningscar'd had them fighting against each other all day, learning their strengths, their weaknesses.

"Bronze." She called. A brilliant golden tom came forward. "You're strong, and quick. Problem is, you keep plans in your mind; you don't allow room for flexibility. It's a fatal flaw." She purred. "It won't exist when we're finished."

Greenblaze, a brown tabby she-cat, was told she was quick, light on her feet. The key was to stay under other warrior's paws.

Dawn was too strong; she relied only on that strength.

Starlit Darkness blended well with the shadows, she would fight better at night.

Night of Shadows, despite her name, had the opposite problem. She would shine out too brightly in a nighttime attack.

It continued on like this until Lightningscar got to Scarred. She nodded her head respectively.

He looked at her. Scarred lived up to his name; he'd once had a fight with an eagle as a kit. Scars decorated his pelt, long ones in his sides and smaller ones on his face.

"You do have a weakness." She whispered in his ear, not wanting to reveal it to the others. "You bleed."

He nodded, purring slightly. "Can't help that one, miss." His voice was different. Not like Lightningscar's deep and dark meow, though. His was slightly slurred, and he said strange words that sounded more like another language than anything else.

She purred. "You're unstoppable." She whispered. "That's why I want you against Lionblaze." She looked down. "I've never seen him get hurt. You can't miss him. He's got a brilliant orange pelt, but he isn't Firestar. You'll know him by the battle in his eyes."

Scarred looked at her. "He sounds like a worthy challenge."

She nodded once.

Life changed completely from then on. Battles, which had been common and routine, now became more frequent. They no longer slept in dens; they stayed out in the cold, wanting to become immune to it. They learned how everyone thought, how they acted on those thoughts. They learned battle strategies, they learned defensive moves from everyone, each contributing what they knew.

"No, no, Greenblaze." Lightningscar once instructed. Greenblaze stared at her with wide and eager eyes. "You have to stay _under _his feet. Like this." She lowered her head to the ground, dancing lightly around in circles until she saw an opening. She raced under Dawn's massive paws.

Scarred watched closely, but rarely joined the battle. He would instruct, but didn't seem to have much to learn.

They had grouped into pairs, and Lightningscar, along with Scarred, watched closely and told them their weaker points, their stronger areas.

"Nice move, Starlit!" Darkshadow purred as Starlit Darkness flipped Night Of Shadows off of her paws.

"Iceflame! _Around _her." Scarred noted as Iceflame tried to jump on top of Mountain Peak.

Lightningscar joined in a fight between Darkshadow and The Other. She dodged them both expertly and had them off their paws in two heartbeats.

"Too slow!" She purred.

The Other glared hatefully at her, but she just looked calmly back at him.

The hardest battle, and the best, was the one with everyone fighting at once. Dawn ended up winning, as Lightningscar, Darkshadow, and Scarred (The best three by far) watched closely.

Almost a moon had passed by the time they had become an incredibly close 'family.' They knew each other's strengths, their weaknesses, everything.

Lightningscar purred. "_This_ is a Clan." She said proudly.

"LightningClan." Darkshadow mused.

She purred even louder and pressed her muzzle to his cheek. "DarkClan." She corrected.

"That sounds more like Darkblood."

She purred again and entwined her tail with his. "Maybe. But whatever it's called, it's _our _clan."

* * *

The moon was brilliant overhead. Jadeheart walked slowly, swallowing.

"H-Hello?" She called out nervously. Whispers followed her, and she had the impression that cats were darting out of her vision every time she turned to face their soft voices.

"It can't be her, surely?"

She whirled, but saw nothing.

"She's not one of us!" Another voice agreed.

"What of the sister?" Another whispered.

Mist covered Jadeheart's vision as she kept looking for the origin of the voices.

"No, it is them. They have returned at long last."

"But they're strangers! They'll never be accepted, you know that!"

"Can someone please tell me what's going on?" Jadeheart asked, pain in her meow.

"She's scared! She'd be no use on the battlefield, especially against her _sister._"

"Surely you've made the wrong choice, her brothers were more able, it was obvious!"

"The brothers were not the choice I made." A sudden, louder, spoken, and more commanding voice sounded out. "She is."

"But you can not truly believe…?"

"I believe what I like!" The voice sounded again, harsher this time. "She is the right choice!"

"But… Bushface! Stormcloud! They both know Lightningscar better than she does! They accepted her, she did not! She'll never listen!"

"She _must _listen, and she _will!_" The voice had a certain flow to it.

"But she's always been a stubborn kit; you know that better than anyone…"

"Silence!" The voice rang through the mist. "_She _is my choice! I will hear no protests!"

The other voices went immediately quiet.

Jadeheart's eyes searched through the mist. "Please, can someone tell me what's _happening?_"

The mist slowly began to thicken, but only in one place. Finally, it began to change, into the silhouette of a cat.

When the silhouette was complete, Jadeheart found herself looking at a beautiful she-cat with a white-grey pelt, close to silver.

"Hello, Jadeheart." She whispered. Her voice was the same authoritative one used earlier, though it was much softer now. "I've been expecting you."

Jadeheart looked at her. "Wh-Who are you?" she was suddenly feeling very terrified, as though she had trespassed into a dark and dangerous secret world that was not her own.

"I am Silver Flame." she replied in a soft, delicate voice. "I am your mother, Jadeheart."

"My… my mother?"

Silver Flame nodded once. "Yes."

Jadeheart looked at her for a long time. "But… that's…"

"We do not have time." Silver Flame interrupted. "You must stop Lightningscar. Because you are the only one who will be able to."

"But… how? She hates me!"

"I know. I'm sorry, but there is no other way."

"No! Bushface could do it, or Stormcloud, but not me!"

"There is no other way." Silver Flame repeated.

"But I _can't _stop her! Not without killing her!"

Silver Flame's brilliant eyes, (which were green like her own) softened slightly. "There is no other way." She said once more.

"But… I can't kill my sister!"

"There is no other way." She began disappearing into the mist once more.

"But I can't do this!"

The words echoed around her. _There is no other way. There is no other way. There is no other way. There is no other way._

She swallowed. "Please, I can't do this! Don't ask me to!"

But silence answered.

Jadeheart let out an anguished yowl, horrible and painful. "What do you want me to _do? _I can't kill her!"

In the shadows, Jayfeather watched with wide eyes.


	7. New Battle

**A/N: Sorry for the late update!**

Jayfeather padded towards Firestar's den.

Firestar sat up immediately. "Jayfeather? What's wrong?"

"It's Jadeheart." Jayfeather was breathless. "I… I don't know what's going to happen… I think…" He swallowed. "I think she's going to do something. Something horrible."

"What…?" Firestar asked hesitantly.

Jayfeather's heart skipped. "I think she's going to kill her sister."

* * *

Jadeheart's claws dug into the ground, working at the dirt. How could her own mother ask her to kill her sister? And how could Jadeheart be expected to do what was asked...?

For a single, fleeting moment, she wished she had gone with her brothers to visit her sister. Perhaps she would have been more capable to end her sister's life if she knew what real hatred Lightningscar still held in her heart.

_And would that make it easier to murder her?_ A small voice inside her questioned. _Would seeing her face one more time help you to destroy the spark of life in her eyes? Would you rather see the one you must kill? _

Was she really that cold-blooded, as to watch mercilessly as she took the life of her own sister?

Her claws dug even further into the dirt as an unnamable pain stabbed at her heart. Of course not. But if Lightningscar still hated her, if she could still be seen as an enemy instead of as family…

Jadeheart silently raged against Silver Flame for putting her in this situation. The quiet battle fought within her was becoming too much to bear.

As she looked around, she noticed the complete and utter lack of the chaos and hurt she felt. What was wrong with them? Didn't they understand that the world had ended? Didn't they understand what horrible thoughts were going on inside her mind? Didn't they understand that she would have to kill her own sister?

She suddenly streaked out of the camp, catching a few stares and a few mutters, but she didn't care. She raced into the forest, barely dodging trees, her claws digging into the dirt and propelling her forward.

The instant she reached the WindClan border, she stopped, then yowled out a loud, horrible lament for the lost opportunity. She would never have the chance to tell her sister how sorry she was for what must be. She would never have the chance to speak to Lightningscar just one more time, to apologize for her betrayal, both in the past and the future.

Jadeheart paced around the border, sincerely contemplating dashing across it and through to the other side. She expected to see her sister waiting across the grass, the smile on her face, the deep sadness in her amber eyes.

Something burst from her throat; another yowl of terrible fury and pain.

And she ran. She ran around the clan border, never seeming to run fast enough, feeling suddenly confined. Why hadn't anyone else noticed how irritating it was to have their movements confined in such a way? There would never be any escape; beautiful prison it may be, but it was a prison nonetheless, and they could never break free, could never run outside of it for fear of being killed or having their whole Clan involved in a war.

She ran into border patrols at least twice, but she never stopped to talk to them, she simply kept running, never halting, never hesitating. She wanted _out. _She wanted out of this place, out of this Clan, out of this situation that forced her to destroy her family. She was held back, kept inside these borders and the future that they sped towards, a future she could not fight.

"Jadeheart."

The single word made her halt, simply because of the tone behind it. It was not urgent, commanding, or angry. It was calm, and almost cold. She whipped around to face the source of the voice, her fur ruffled on her shoulders and the back of her neck. Her tail was bushy and wild, and her eyes glinted with the look of one long trapped.

This was all unseen by the speaker, though he could feel her tension, fury, and pain very well. He blinked once, calmly.

"Jayfeather." She replied, trying to be polite but somehow failing, taking out her misery on the medicine cat.

"You realize it's sunhigh already. The others are worried about you."

"And you're not?"

"No."

This took Jadeheart off guard. She felt her fur flattening through the shock.

Jayfeather sighed very heavily and sat down. Jadeheart followed his example.

"Jadeheart… last night, I had a dream. A dream about you, and your mother."

Jadeheart felt her heart speed up. She was shaking, nervous at the very mention of the dream. It was bad enough when only she had known about it. And though she had just been wondering why no one else felt the same as she did, she didn't truly want them to feel the way she did, because she did not want them to know of the murder she must commit.

"Her name was Silver Flame." Jayfeather continued. "She told you that you were going to be the one to stop Lightningscar. Even if that meant you had to kill her."

"She was wrong." Jadeheart felt the words slip through her lips and out of her control. "I can't kill her, I can't stop her, I can't do anything!"

And suddenly, everything she had thought, everything she had been feeling, all her anger, all her hatred, all her misery and woe, all her pain was suddenly released into her words.

"I can't do this, Jayfeather!" She cried. "Bushface or Stormcloud, they could have stopped her! They could stop her still! _They _could! _They _should! Not me! It shouldn't be me; it _can't _be me, because she hates me! And if I tried to explain things rationally, she would never listen! I'd have to kill her, Jayfeather, don't you see?"

She began to tremble, her words becoming more and more tense and pained.

Jayfeather kept still while she let out her frustration, only his tail twitching in thought. After she had steadied somewhat, he spoke again, "Jadeheart… I can speak to Lightningscar, if you need me to."

Jadeheart stared. "_What?_"

He sighed deeply. "I've… I'm not really supposed to talk about it… but it's something I can do. I can cross into the dreams of others, talk to them. And, if you need to speak to her, I think I can arrange it."

Jadeheart's heart raced at the idea. "You would really do that?"

Jayfeather nodded. "Yes."

"When?"

"Tonight." He promised firmly. "We can do it tonight."

* * *

Lightningscar ran.

She ran across the grass, across a Thunderpath, across into the kittypet nests, and out into the grass once more. She laughed.

A grouchy kittypet, a friend of her father's Clan, hissed at her as she ran by. "What's the rush, rouge?"

She whirled, turning to face the kittypet. "No rush." She said, her amber eyes bright and wild with the idea of her own freedom. She'd become used to the words the kittypets used, words that never existed in the Clans, but were simple, everyday life here.

What was more, speaking with a kittypet was no longer such a bad thing. In fact, it was encouraged. Darkblood knew that many would have been rejected by the Clans, but could be made into great warriors, if only the right kindness was shown to them.

George, the kittypet in question, always had a soft spot for Lightningscar, since they day they'd met. He stretched lazily, then hopped off the fence and onto the grass next to her.

"That's what I don't get about you Clan cats." He said, shaking his head. "You're always running. Getting ready for battles and what have you. You can't just lie down and enjoy a summer day." He unleashed a massive yawn, then shook his head as though to clear it.

"That's the fun of it." Lightningscar replied, somewhat breathlessly. "Haven't you ever wondered if you could outrun the sun?"

"Outrun the sun?" George purred. "No, can't say that I have."

"Think about it!" Lightningscar said enthusiastically. "What if, just what if, we could run fast enough that even the sun could not catch us? What if we could race against it and _win?_"

George purred again. "You really are one strange little kit."

Lightningscar purred back. The term 'strange little kit' would have infuriated her back in her days with ThunderClan, but when George said it, the words were a much kinder, gentler form.

He only called her 'kit' because he himself was older, old enough to spend the rest of his life in the elder's den. But he was a kind cat, with a good heart, and he truly cared about Lightningscar, unlike those who had treated her with scorn and contempt.

She pressed her cheek to his and took off running again.

* * *

Jadeheart was instructed to sleep in the warrior's den, as usual. She struggled to sleep, but it was nearly impossible. Her thoughts were racing, and she was growing more nervous with every heartbeat that passed.

She stared at the moon above, sighing heavily, listening to the gentle snores of the warriors beside her. She tried to match her own breathing with theirs, but found it increasingly difficult.

"Jadeheart?" A voice whispered.

She jumped, thinking it was Jayfeather, but when she turned to face him she found bright amber eyes staring back at her.

"Oh." She couldn't keep the disappointment from her voice; every thought she had was concentrated on the medicine cat and his promise. "Hi, Bushface."

"You ok, Jade?" He asked softly, perhaps using her old name on purpose.

"Fine." She replied, her voice harsh.

Bushface looked at her for a long time, his head tilted in curiosity. "What's wrong?" He asked at last.

"Nothing." She mumbled, burying her nose in the moss bedding and closing her eyes again.

"I don't think so." Bushface persisted.

Jadeheart let out a malicious hiss. "Let it go, _Thunder._"

Bushface sighed deeply and lay down again. "I don't know what's wrong, Jadeheart, but if you need me…" he closed his eyes. "I'm here."

She didn't reply. She simply returned to her struggle for sleep.

* * *

Jayfeather waited in the mist. The forest around him was cold and dark. The grass beneath his paws felt wet and freezing, and he felt a shiver run through him.

He waited as patiently as he could manage. It was bound to be difficult for Jadeheart to fall asleep while imagining the night ahead, but still, it would be easier if she could _hurry up…_

Eventually, the figure of a cat came padding up to him. Her striped brown and black pelt almost blended into the forest surrounding her.

Her wide eyes looked around in amazement. "What… what _is _this place?"

Jayfeather was feeling short-tempered. "Come on." He said curtly. "I'll explain later; right now, we have to talk to Lightningscar."

Jadeheart nodded solemnly and padded after him as he started walking.

Jayfeather tasted the air, searching for any sign of Lightningscar. After a moment, he faintly caught her scent and started in that direction.

They moved in absolute silence for a long time. Jadeheart's pace was becoming increasingly erratic as she followed him, her thoughts almost seeming to penetrate through the silence around them.

Finally, Jayfeather halted, motioning with his tail for her to do the same. She did so, her heart pounding loudly.

"Go ahead." He whispered. He stepped aside.

Jadeheart padded forward, her breath catching in her throat as she looked at the she-cat in front of her.

Lightningscar's black pelt blended in with the shadows as she purred, tearing around the clearing, practicing battle moves in thin air.

A small part of Jadeheart, a part that she hated, considered staying there and watching, to know the moves that Lightningscar would use when the day came.

But she ignored these thoughts and stepped carefully into the clearing. "L-Lightningscar?"

The black she-cat whipped around, her amber eyes wide.

* * *

Lightningscar had been in this dream before, many times. A beautiful forest, surrounded in mist. Most times she practiced her battle strategies, though whenever she did, she would have the strangest feeling, as though someone was watching what she did, and looking down upon her with disappointment.

"L-Lightningscar?"

She whirled, shock gripping her as she saw a face she had known once and hated another time.

"Jadeheart?" The meow escaped her without her permission in her absolute shock. "What… What are _you _doing here?" Her claws unsheathed, digging into the soft ground below.

"I…" Jadeheart's eyes drifted down to her sister's claws. "I wanted to see you again. To say I was sorry for… for not coming to see you with Bushface and Stormcloud. And for… for everything."

"But you… how did you…?" Lightningscar looked at her, puzzled.

"There's a Clan cat... he can enter dreams." Jadeheart replied solemnly.

Lightningscar's fur bristled. "Enter dreams?" She hissed. "Who?"

"It doesn't matter!" Jadeheart replied, growing frustrated with her sister's inability to focus. "All that matters is that we can talk, and I can tell you…"

"No, _Jade._" Lightningscar's lip curled above her teeth. "We can't _talk, _since I'm not prepared to _listen._"

"Lightningscar…"

"ENOUGH!" The sky crackled with thunder suddenly. Lightning streaked across the moon, and the scar on her face shone with it.

"Prepare yourself, Jadeheart of ThunderClan." Lightningscar's voice exploded around the clearing, deafening and thunderous. "Because there will be war."

Around her, a group of shadows formed into the figures of cats, more and more of them, until a mighty army was built up behind her.

Jadeheart's legs trembled, and she almost turned to Jayfeather, but realized it would not be a good idea. A cold, gentle touch to the side of her cheek nudged her encouragingly, and she was surprised to find a misty, icy form of a silver cat standing next to her. And behind this cat was many more, an army of stars behind her, backing her against the army of shadows.

"Very well, Lightningscar." She said, trying to keep her voice from shaking. "If that is how it must be."

Jadeheart woke up in the warrior's den, shivering in the cold and the fear.

She instantly padded out of the den and across the camp. Halfway to the medicine den, Jayfeather met her. His blind eyes were wide and staring, true terror within them.

Jadeheart swallowed. She felt weak and vulnerable. Her fur was on end, and she was shaking.

"I'm scared, Jayfeather." She whispered.

"I know." He replied. "Me too."

For a moment the two just sat in the silence.

"I'm going to have to kill her." Jadeheart whispered. "My own sister."

"It's for the best." Jayfeather replied sadly.

"She can't be reasoned with." Jadeheart continued.

"Reason no longer has anything to do with it." Jayfeather intervened. "Don't you understand? This isn't just a war between Clans anymore." He took a deep, shuddering breath. "This is a war between StarClan and someone else." His blind eyes locked on hers, amazingly accurate. "And whoever survives in your battle with Lightningscar will determine the winner."


End file.
